Progress

Yes, they go where we go when we go! When they see anything that resembles packing they are headed to the door! Amazing little "people."

This day was filled with one meeting after another and progress came with each one.

But . . . before I get into the day I must tell about last night! There are storms and then there are storms! I thought driving back Sunday night was unbelievable but then there was last night. It all started before midnight, the constant thunder and lightning! You couldn't tell where one thunder stopped and another started. The winds blew, the rain bashing up against our camper, the trees bending to where we thought they would break, my church fig tree outside finally toppled to the ground along with my peace lilly that was a birthday gift from our team mates in the south and the lawn chair disappeared, only to be found wedged underneath the trailer this morning. And then, of course, there was the leak in the "porthole" vent, just above our bed which required getting the hair dryer and blow drying the sheets, after making a "diaper" to tape to the ceiling. Now as you read this you might be wondering "when was there time for sleep?" and come this morning I wondered the same thing! Around 4am it finally calmed down, the bed was dry, the dogs were "pulled" out of our bed and "placed" into theirs and we crashed. And then in 2 hours the alarm went off to start the day!

My first meeting was our weekly case management meeting where we all gather to share information, resources and support for each other. I was thrilled to see 35 people in the room! It was a great meeting, some of the newer case managers felt they were ready to take on cases of their own and the others vowed to be "more ready" next week. It looks like the training course that some missed will be offered again in a nearby city so all can be fully trained.

From there we headed to a luncheon meeting with the supervisor of the nurses we have from the local hospital. As you know, the hospital is closed until who knows when so the RN case managers from there have been working with us -- the hospital keeping them on the payroll with full benefits! Kudos to them!!! We are so blessed to have them and we hope to be able to work a program with the hospital to keep them, even when things get back to operating at the hospital. After we finished telling all about what the case managers are doing I think the supervisor realized that when they do return to the hospital they will be more educated and have more experience than when they left!

From there we had a meeting scheduled with Legal Aid. One of our state representatives was also there and gave us some wonderful news with regard to one of our "difficult" areas here in town. There is a subdivision where most everyone was on a "rent to own" deal. FEMA was forced to consider them renters while the ownership of the subdivision said they were homeowners. As renters they are not eligible for alot of the help that comes in. After bringing this issue to the attention of the govenor some eyes were opened and changes were made. The families will be considered homeowners which unlocks the hands of FEMA to be able to get further assistance to them! We were thrilled and even more thrilled to realize that more trailers are on their way which means more people will have housing other than hotels and/or living inside their damaged homes! The legal aid representative agreed to come to our next case management meeting and answer questions that some of the managers are faced with out in the field!

My final meeting was to meet and greet our team from North Vernon, IN who drove up this evening to continue the work in Robert and Mary's home. A team from another local church was there today installing headers for the closet doors and made great progress. Tonights team will further that process and maybe even get the final coat of finish on the sheetrock that would put them ready to prime when they return this Saturday.

As for Monty -- with his mother in the hospital he felt a need to go and check on her. She is resting as comfortably as possible and I know was glad to see him! Thank you for your prayers and please keep them coming as she has a ways to go to reach healthy and be released.

As you can see, it was a day of progress all around! It's the behind the scenes work that most people don't see and don't even realize happens. Without all the meetings, the planning, the constant changing none of this would happen. I still am amazed at how well this county has stepped up and taken care of its own! Never did I see anything along the coast to compare!

Speaking of the coast -- please pray the hurricane Dolly would manage to loose speed and power and that those in her path would be prepared, safe and blessed!

Until next time . . . Susan and Monty (and Bitty and Samson)